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Mountain Heroes cyclist aims for world record to fight climate change

Michael Strasser, famous cyclist and the first cyclist to join the UN Environment’s Mountain Heroes campaign, has now been cycling for nearly two weeks. His goal? Establishing a new world record by cycling from Alaska to Patagonia through the longest overland route. But the 14,300-mile and nearly 610,000-vertical-foot Ice2Ice expedition is not just about immense feats of strength and stamina. Strasser also seeks to demonstrate how personal transportation choices can mitigate climate change.

Originally an architect, Strasser began his expedition on July 23. The Austrian cyclist is now crossing Canada and has been updating followers and contributors on his journey in real time. His candid memos are paired with a live tracking map that includes the time spent cycling as well as distance and elevation details. He wrote, “Yesterday, for example, that damned smoke was back in the morning for the first two hours,” referring to a forest fire that had broken out close to his trail. “And then, while I was still angry about the very rough roads, a little black bear appeared on the side of the road and put a smile on my lips.” The cyclist hopes to inspire action in order to protect mountain ecosystems, which provide freshwater around the world and are home to a diverse array of plants and animals.

A rise in pollution and the impacts of climate change have put stress on these delicate mountain ecosystems. The glaciers through which Strasser is traveling have been reduced by nearly a third since the 1960s, displaying a visible amount of loss in ice and snow cover. Along with the fragile biological diversity in these areas, the retreating glaciers serve as one of the Earth’s most reliable sources of fresh drinking water. Climate change is disproportionately affecting these mountainous regions, along with high elevation zones such as the Arctic and Antarctica.

“It would mean a lot to me if I could motivate every single person who follows me to sometimes take a bike instead of their car,” Strasser said. “If my attempt is to bike 23,000 kilometers and 185,000 vertical meters, then everyone can manage one or the other kilometer in their daily life too. I think if all of us contribute something even small, something big can come of it.”

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Slideshow

Mountain Heroes cyclist aims for world record to fight climate change

Ice2Ice Expedition

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Michael Strasser is the first cyclist to join the UN Environment's Mountain Heroes campaign.

Ice2Ice Expedition

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Strasser's mission is to set a world record by cycling from Alaska to Patagonia through the longest overland route. His other goal is to inspire others to fight climate change and protect the world's fragile mountain ecosystems.

Ice2Ice Expedition

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Strasser was delighted to come across bears on his journey.

Ice2Ice Expedition

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Strasser hopes he inspires others to rethink transportation and choose to bike over driving as much as possible.